- AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR
- AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR
Category Archives: camera
Nikon Lenses
 25mm |
 35mm |
 50mm |
 100mm |
 200mm |
 400mm |
 800mm |
 1200mm |
Assessment of different focal lengths — wide angle to telephoto — by taking picture of same object from the same place with the same camera.
Review of the basics
Another snapshot
Nikon FX (Full Frame) Lens Comparison Table
| LENS | PRICE | CATEGORY | WEIGHT | APERTURE | VR | FILTER | DX EQUIV. |
| Nikon 16-35mm f/4G | $1,097 | Wide angle | 24 oz. | f/4 | Yes | 77mm | 24-52.5mm |
| Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 | $1,897 | Wide angle | 35.3 oz. | f/2.8 | No | None | 21-36mm |
| Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 | $1,199 | Wide angle | 38.9 oz. | f/2.8 | VC | None | 22.5-45mm |
| Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8E | $2,797 | Telephoto | 50.4 oz. | f/2.8 | Yes | 77mm | 105-300mm |
| Nikon 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G | $947 | All-in-one | 28.2 oz. | f/3.5-5.6 | Yes | 77mm | 42-450mm |
| Nikon 35mm f/1.8G | $527 | Street/travel | 10.8 oz. | f/1.8 | No | 58mm | 52.5mm |
| Sigma 35mm f/1.4 Art | $799 | Street/travel | 23.5 oz. | f/1.4 | No | 67mm | 52.5mm |
| Nikon 50mm f/1.4G | $447 | Travel/portrait | 9.9 oz. | f/1.8 | No | 58mm | 75mm |
| Nikon 85mm f/1.8G | $477 | Portrait | 12.4 oz. | f/1.8 | No | 77mm | 127.5mm |
| Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G | $1,797 | Travel/portrait | 31.8 oz. | f/2.8 | No | 77mm | 36-105mm |
| Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8E | $2,397 | Travel/portrait | 37.7 oz. | f/2.8 | Yes | 82mm | 36-105mm |
| Nikon 105mm f/2.8G Micro | $897 | Macro | 25.4 oz. | f/2.8 | No | 62mm | 157.5mm |
| Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E | $747 | Telephoto | 24 oz. | f/4.5-5.6 | Yes | 67mm | 105-450mm |
| Nikon 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G | $497 | Travel/portrait | 16.4 oz. | f/3.5-4.5 | Yes | 72mm | 36-127.5mm |
| Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6E | $1,397 | Super telephoto | 73.7 oz. | f/5.6 | Yes | 95mm | 300-750mm |
| Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6E | $1,397 | Super telephoto | 73.7 oz. | f/5.6 | Yes | 95mm | 300-750mm |
Lens loyalties
Camera bodies come and go, but lenses are a long-term investment. The Nikon D50 you bought years ago may be obsolete but the lens that came is just as good today as it was then.
Which lens to buy?
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED VR II Lens Price: $346.95 Instant Savings: $200.00 You Pay: $146.95 B&H Photo
Interchangibility of lenses between Full Frame (FX) and APS-C (DX) formats
Nikon started off making DX-format DSLRs and a whole range of DX-format lenses to go with them. If you do decide to upgrade to the full frame FX format you’ll almost certainly have to invest heavily in new lenses too.
You can use DX-format lenses on FX-format Nikons, but only in ‘crop’ mode. The camera restricts the sensor area to a DX-sized rectangle in the middle, and you don’t get the benefit of the sensor’s full resolution.
For example, in crop mode, the 36-megapixel D800 produces images of 15.3 megapixels, while the 16-megapixel D600 drops to 6.8 megapixels. So, using your DX lenses is not a long-term solution.
Of course, you may have some FX lenses already, like Nikon’s 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 telephoto zoom, which is a popular choice for DX-format SLR owners but is actually an FX-format zoom.
If you are considering moving to an FX camera in the future, start investing in FX-format lenses now because they’ll work on any DX-format Nikon DSLR in the meantime.
Lens
How to read Nikon Lenses
References
1. AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II $649.95
AF-S –> AF (Auto Focus), S(Silent) AF-S is for the silent wave motor used in NIKKOR lenses for fast, accurate and super quiet AF operation.
DX –> DX means lens for regular DSLR camera, whereas, if you do not see DX in lens description, it will mean full frame camera. For example:
AF-S NIKKOR 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G ED $649.96 –> Format FX/35mm
AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II $499.00 –> Format DX
(Note: If you don’t see DX, then the lens is optimized for full-frame cameras.) The DX lenses are 24 by 16 millimeters (actually 23.5 by 15.6 mm on the D7100), or about a factor 1.5 smaller than a “full frame” FX sensor or 35 mm film.
NIKKOR –> Nikon uses NIKKOR for its lenses
18-200mm –> the focal length of the lens
f/3.5-5.6G –> In 18–200mm zoom, the lens has a maximum aperture of f/3.5 at 18mm and only f/5.6 when the lens is zoomed out to 200mm. The letter G indicates that the lens has no aperture ring (G); meaning further that the lens has an electronic diaphragm control, that is the f/stop is set from the camera. This means that a 50 mm lens on a DX camera produces the same angle of view as a 1.5 x 50 = 75 mm lens on an FX camera. Conversely, to get the same result as with a 50 mm on FX, you need a 35 mm lens on DX. (33 mm to be precise.) So DX is said to have a “1.5 x crop factor”.
ED –> ED means extra-low dispersion glass—it’s an optical glass Nikon developed for correction of chromatic aberrations.
VR –> Vibration Reduction
II –> Roman numeral II after VR means second generation of that lens
2. AF Zoom-NIKKOR 80-200mm f/2.8D ED $1,224.95
AF –> Auto Focus (Note AF lenses appeared in 1986, much before AF-S)
Zoom –> Its a zoom lens
NIKKOR –> Nikon uses NIKKOR on all its lenses
80-200mm –> zoom range
f/2.8D –> The “D” (Distance Information) means this lens tells the camera the distance to the subject, which helps the exposure meter, especially with on-camera flash.
3. Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200mm f/2G ED VR II $5700.00
What does ED mean?
The Three Pillars of Exposure
Camera Sensor
- Introduction
- Sensor sizes for Full-Frame and PAS-C cameras
- Sensor type
- Sensor resolution
- Pixel area (µm²)
1. Introduction
Schematic diagram showing the lens and the sensor
Sensor size is generally a good indicator of the quality of the camera. Sensors can vary greatly in size. As a general rule, the bigger the sensor, the better the image quality.
Bigger sensors are more effective because they have more surface area to capture light. An important factor when comparing digital cameras is also camera generation. Generally, newer sensors will outperform the older.
2. The Image Sensor Sizes
Essentially, at the heart of every digital camera is an image sensor. The lens focuses photons reflected by the scene being photographed onto that image sensor. Etched into the image sensor’s silicon are pixels (short for “picture elements”)—technically, photoreceptor or photodiode sites. Each pixel is a single point that collects the electrons, which are then interpreted into information about color and light.
| Medium-format Fujifilm GFX 50S Hasselblad H5D-60 40.2 x 53.7mm CCD Sensor |
44 x 33mm
40.2 x 53.7mm |
| Full Frame | 26×24 mm |
| APS-C (High End like D7200) |
23.5×15.6 mm |
Note that the full-frame sensor size is much larger than even the high end APS-C (like D7200) cameras.
Characteristics of Sensor
| Sensor type | CMOS |
| Sensor size | 35.9 x 24 mm (Nikon FX) |
| Sensor resolution | 6038 x 4025 |
| Pixel pitch (µm) | Pixel pitch tells you the distance from the center of one pixel (photosite) to the center of the next. It tells you how close the pixels are to each other.
The bigger the pixel pitch, the further apart they are and the bigger each pixel is. Bigger pixels tend to have better signal to noise ratio and greater dynamic range. |
| Pixel area (µm²) | Pixel or photosite area affects how much light per pixel can be gathered. The larger it is the more light can be collected by a single pixel.
Larger pixels have the potential to collect more photons, resulting in greater dynamic range, while smaller pixels provide higher resolutions (more detail) for a given sensor size. |
The main characteristics of the Image Sensor are:
| Camera Feature | Nikon D7200 | D610 | D500 | Next |
| Sensor Resolution | 24.2 Million | 24.3 million | ||
| Sensor Type | CMOS | |||
| Sensor Size | 23.5×15.6mm | 35.9x24.0mm | 23.5×15.7 mm | |
| Sensor Pixel Size | 3.92µ | 5.95 µm | ||
| Sensor Dust Reduction | Yes | Yes | ||
| Image Size | 6,000 x 4,000 | |||
| Sensor Dust Reduction | Yes | Yes | ||
W
What does sensor pixel area mean?
In order to understand the effect of the megapixel count on a digital camera we must understand how a digital camera records a picture. Before digital cameras, still pictures were recorded on a 35mm black film (negative). This 35mm film is called full frame. With the advent of digital photography, the film was replaced by a digital sensor, usually a CMOS/CCD1 sensor. The catch however was that the sensors were much smaller than the traditional 35mm film because larger digital sensors are seriously expensive to manufacture.
In low-light, if their sensor size is identical, a camera with low megapixel count will always give a clearer image and capture more detail than a camera with a higher megapixel count.
Digital cameras with smaller sensors can make do with smaller lenses. However, a digital camera having a larger sensor will need a larger lens. This is why digital SLR cameras which have digital sensors close to the original 35mm size usually have larger lens attachments than digital pocket cameras.
Nikon is moving towards lower pixel size
Nikon D7500 vs D7200 Specification Comparison
| Camera Feature | Nikon D7500 | Nikon D7200 |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor Resolution in Pixels | 20.9 Million | 24.2 Million |
| Sensor Type | CMOS | CMOS |
| Sensor Size | 23.5×15.6mm | 23.5×15.6mm |
| Sensor Pixel Size | 4.22µ | 3.92µ |
The latest D7500 has got less number of pixels but larger pixel size than its older version D7200.
Remember.
In low-light, if the sensor size is identical, a camera with low megapixel count will always give a clearer image and capture more detail than a camera with a higher megapixel count.
Therefore, D7500 will perform better in low light.
With the D800, Nikon may be signaling a shift in megapixel mindset. The D800 packs a 36 megapixel sensor and pushes images with a resolution of 6144×4912 pixels. However, D5 has a 20.8 megapixel sensor. The D4 at $6,499.95 is far more costly than the D800, and is targeted toward speed shooting and a better high ISO experience.
Pixels: Size Matters by IEEE
SIZE MATTERS: The size of a camera’s lens is a good indication of the size of its image sensor.
Decoding Lens Jargon
Read How to read lenses
The inside view of lens
The focal length of a lens tells you how close you can get to a subject without moving towards it, and is displayed in millimetres. A lower number means a wider lens, which allows you to fit more into your photo, making it well suited to landscape photos. A higher number allows you to get closer to a far-off subject, such as a bird in a tree.
This zoom lens (left image) has one maximum aperture at the wide angle (80mm) and another at the telephoto (400mm) end, where the prime lens has only one aperture (right image)
Typically, a travel zoom lens would have a long focal length such as 18-300mm as shown below. A sequence that is slowing zooming on the red cabin in the wild:
These eight photos were taken from the same place with different lenses. The subject is Longs Peak from Upper Beaver Meadows in Rocky Mountain National Park.
25mm |
35mm |
50mm |
100mm |
200mm |
400mm |
800mm |
1200mm |
The two most ordinary sizes of wide-angle lenses have focal lengths of 35 and 28 mm. Their effect is obvious to see with indoor exposures.
“I want to take a bluebird picture. What lens should I use?” It is a symptom of bird photography that your lenses never seem to be long enough. This is because birds are so small. When photographing large animals, a 400mm gives you decent image size from a reasonable distance. But remember, an elk is six or seven feet tall. A bird is barely six inches long, so when your subject is twelve times smaller, you have to be twelve times closer.
Shows how a smaller sensor size of APS-C camera reduces or crops the object in comparison with a Full-Frame or 35mm Sensor size.
F-Stop
Aperture is represented by a term called F-Stop. It is written on your lens. For example: f/2.8, f/4, f/22 etc. It can also be represented as f/2.8, F2.8 or 1:2.8 – they are the same.
The less the number after f is, the bigger the aperture is, as shown above.
When the aperture is the largest, allowing maximum amount of light get into the camera sensor. You need this when you are shooting in less light. Also, while using a portrait lens, when the aperture is biggest, maximum light goes through and the object comes precisely on focus making the background blurry. You use this setting for Portrait mode. When the aperture is smallest, minimum lights go through and the background becomes prominent. You use this setting for landscape.
Maximum Aperture is the minimum number after f (or minimum F-Stop) and it is when the aperture is the largest, allowing maximum amount of light get into the camera sensor. You need this when you are shooting in less light.
This prime lens has a Focal length of 35 mm and F/1.8. In this image you can also see the aperture circle in the middle of the image.
But most of the popular lenses are zoom lenses. Some zoom lenses (like the 18–105mm kit lens) have a variable maximum aperture. This means that the largest opening will change depending on the zoom setting. In the example of the Nikon 18–105mm zoom, the lens has a maximum aperture of f/3.5 at 18mm and only f/5.6 when the lens is zoomed out to 105mm.
Setting Aperture in Nikon Cameras
As the video [3] by PhotographersOnUTube shows, you can set the aperture manually by using the setting to M->Manual or A->Sperture. After setting it to M or A, you rotate the aperture switch to make the aperture higher or lower.
If you set it to M, you have to set the ISO and Shutter Speed manually also. If you set it to A, the Nikon automatically sets up the ISO and shutter speed. In the video [3], the speaker demonstrates how an object changes from f/2.8 to f/16, when the photo is taken from the same spot.
At f/2.8, the aperture is biggest, maximum lights go through and the object comes precisely on focus making the background blurry. You use this setting for Portrait mode.
At f/16, the aperture is smallest, minimum lights go through and the background becomes prominent. You use this setting for landscape.
Knowing the limits of your lens aperture is crucial when using Aperture Priority. As a general rule, the lower the number on the lens (e.g. f/1.5), the “faster” it is (because it allows more light in to expose the image, thus reducing the amount of shutter time) and the sharper the image is. Typically, fast lenses are heavier and more expensive, but they’re well worth the investment if you find yourself shooting in low-light conditions. The larger the aperture is, the better the exposure without having to increase ISO and introduce digital noise.
On the other hand, bright scenes require the use of a small aperture (such as f/16 or f/22), especially if you want to use a slower shutter speed. That small opening reduces the amount of incoming light, and this reduction of light requires that the shutter stay open longer.
10. Lens Mount
It goes without saying that you want to buy a lens that will attach on your camera, and this is known as the lens mount. Camera manufacturers generally make lenses with proprietry mounts which will only fit their devices, sometimes having multiple lens mounts for different camera lines.
It’s important to know which mount your camera uses before heading out to buy a lens. Example lens mounts for DSLRs include the Nikon F-mount
10.1 Nikon F-Mount [see 1]
Nikon F-Mount is the communication link between Nikon SLRs and NIKKOR lenses. All Nikon DSLRs that have an F-mount, can use the same lenses. This is one of the biggest advantages.
For example, D7100, D7200 and D750 all have F-mounts. Any Nikkor lens that is compatible with F-mount, can be used on any of those cameras.
References
1. http://www.gizmag.com/camera-lens-buying-guide/29141/
2. Digital Camera Book Online
3. Photography Tutorial – FIRST Lesson! What is Aperture By PhotographersOnUTube
6. How to change the aperture (f-stop) on the Nikon D7100 By Camera Guides
7. Nikon D7100 User Guide: Part One By The Photo Show (Good – shows how to take the lens off)
Camera Repair Services
Camera: Full Frame Vs APS-C
In DSLR world, the full frame camera refers to a sensor size of 36x24mm which is approximately the same size as 35mm film. All Nikon FX cameras are Full Frame ones. They are obviously the more expensive ones. (Note: Type “nikon dslr fx” in Google search box)
The Nikon cameras with DX-format have smaller 24x16mm sensor -whereas FX or Full-Frame cameras have 36 X 24 mm sensor.
It is not the number of pixels that really counts – APS-C models have almost as many pixels.
But, the size of the pixels is crucial to image quality.
Bigger individual light sensors capture more light – and this means that less electronic noise is created. You notice this most as you increase the ISO setting – with this noise creating a colored mosaic pattern that is particularly noticeable in shadow areas.
Crop Factor
The cropped sensor “sees” a narrower field of view
A round lens produces a circular image circle—not rectangular. The sensor, or film, at the back of the camera captures a rectangular portion of this image circle.
When we use 35mm film as a standard, any camera with a sensor smaller than a frame of 35mm film will cover a smaller portion of the image circle produced by a given lens and will thereby change the field of view of that lens. This is the “crop” part of the crop factor.
Formula for finding Crop Factor for Nikon:
The diagonal of a rectangle can be determined by a2+ b2 = c2
Nikon Full Frame: 24mm2 + 36mm2 = c2
576 +1296 = 1872 = c2
c = 43.3mm
Now, if you have a Nikon APS-C-sized sensor 15.6 x 23.5mm, then
15.6mm2 + 23.5mm2 = c2
c = 28.86
Therefore the crop factor = 43.3/28.86 = 1.5 for Nikon
Then, to find the equivalent focal length of the new field of view afforded by the smaller APS-C sensor, multiply the true focal length of the lens by 1.5x to get the 35mm equivalent focal length of the lens. A 50mm lens on a camera with a 1.5x crop factor APS-C sensor gives a field of view equivalent to that of a 75mm lens on a full-frame camera.
Next
Crop Factor
This set of images compares performance between crop sensor and full frame DSLR bodies. The images in the left column were made with a Nikon D90. Images in the right three columns were made with a Nikon D610. Both cameras used the same Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD zoom lens, which was set up on a tripod to ensure it would not change position during the test. Both cameras used ISO 200, center point average metering and were operated in Aperture Priority. The subject in these photos is a scale model of the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM) from the Apollo program.
Next, we’ll explore the relationship between sensor size and length of exposure. Here’s a heads up, the outcome may not be what you expect.
I used my Nikon D610 (full frame) and Nikon D90 (APS-C) to take a series of exposures of a toy train engine. The toy steam engine was set up outside on a small tray table. The sky was overcast with nice, even lighting throughout the test. Both bodies used the same Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD lens, which was set at 70mm. I selected ISO 200 on both cameras for all exposures. The zoom lens was set up on a tripod and the camera bodies were switched out without changing the position of the lens. I used each camera to make exposures at f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, f/22 and f/32. I shot in aperture priority on both cameras and let their internal brains select the proper exposure.
Below, are pairs of images showing the photographs made at the same settings with the two bodies, side-by-side. All are unedited JPEGs. Keep in mind that the sensor in the D90 body cropped the image to match the angle of view produced by a 105mm lens.
In this comparison, photographs of the same subject made with Nikon D610 (left) and Nikon D90 (right) cameras are shown, side-by-side. Both cameras were set to ISO 200. Both cameras used the same Tamron lens at 70mm. The lens was mounted on a tripod to ensure it would remain in the same position throughout the test. At each focal ratio, both cameras metered the scene as having the same brightness and chose the same exposure. (Bill Ferris)
Top: Full frame DSLR at 24mm. Bottom: APS-C sensor DSLR at 24mm taken from the same distance from the building.
An APS-C sensor sees a smaller angle of view – with a crop factor of 1.6x. This means the same 24mm lens actually captures the angle of view of a traditional 38mm focal length setting (24×1.6=38). In other words, what is 24mm for a full frame becomes 38mm for an APS-C. So if you want to capture sweeping wide-angle vistas, a full-frame camera allows you to take in more of the scene in front of you than an APS-C model with the same lens.
For a nice definition that highlights the difference, look at:
http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Learn-And-Explore/Article/g588ouey/the-dx-and-fx-formats.html
| Format | Megapixels | ISO | Cameras |
| FX | 100 -12,800 | Nikon D750 FX-format Digital SLR Camera body $1996/ Nikon D610 24.3 MP CMOS FX-Format body 1496.00/ Nikon D810A FX-format Digital SLR body $3796.00 |
|
| DX | Nikon D7100 DX-format Digital SLR Camera |
Nikon Camera Prices 2014-16
Nikon D7500 replaces D7200 as the top of the line APS-C camera
Price at Best Buy on Dec 6, 2017
| D7200 18-55mm VR Lens, Nikon 70-300mm f/4-5.6G Auto Focus Nikkor, 2pcs 32GB (D7200 Body Only $799.00) ——————————————————————————————————- |
$999.00 ( Nov, 2017) |
|
| D7200 18-55mm VR Lens, Nikon 70-300mm f/4-5.6G Auto Focus Nikkor, 2pcs 32GB ——————————————————————————————————- |
$1099.00 (Mar, 2016) | |
| D7100 Body Only ——————————————————————————————————- |
$799.00 | $696.95 |
| D7100 with 18-55mm and 55-300mm Dual Lens Wi-Fi Kit @ B&H ——————————————————————————————————- |
$997.00 | |
| D7100 with 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 Auto Focus-S DX VR ED Nikkor Lens ——————————————————————————————————- |
$996.95 | |
| D7100 with 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR Auto Focus-S DX NIKKOR Lens | $996.00 (Amazon) | |
| D7100 24.1 MP DX with 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 Auto Focus-S DX VR ED Nikkor Lens (Apr, 2016) | $870 | Electronics Enterprises @ @ Amazon |
| D7100 with 18-55mm and 55-300mm VR NIKKOR Zoom Lens | $996.00 | Amazon |
| D7100 with 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 Auto Focus-S DX VR ED Nikkor Lens | $1,096.95 | |
| D7100 (Body Only) + Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED VR II Lens | $943.90 (at B&H) | |
| D7000 16.2 MP with 18-105mm Lens (Apr, 2016) | $645 | Amazon |
| D7000 with 18-55mm Lens | $675.00 | |
| D5300 w 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II AF-S DX NIKKOR | $696.95 | |
| D7000 w Nikon 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR Lens(USEDB&H) | $629.00 | |
| Nikon D7000 16.2MP Digital SLR w/18-140mm VR Lens | $799 | Best Buy |
Nov11, 2014
| 8/26/2015 | Nov 11, 2014 | |
| D5300 24.2 MP with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II AF-S DX NIKKOR Zoom Lens | 796.00 | |
| D7000 16.2 MP with (1) 18-55mm Lens (2) (18-105mm Lens) |
1. $728.00 2. $733.00 |
$749.00 |
| D7100 with 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S DX NIKKOR Zoom Lens | $1196.95 | $1296.00 |
| Full Frame | ||
| D610 with 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR Auto Focus-S Nikkor Lens | $1996.00 | |
| D750 with with Nikon 18-55mm VR Lens + Nikon 55-200mm VR Lens | $2099.00 |
subratachak 